The Things That Make It All Worthwhile
by Aces Of Spike
Summary: Spike and Molly settle in for a romantic night... but the two Chrises spoil their plans... based on the Raw that happened after KOTR... and I don't remember the date so frooky you naysayers!


Molly smiled as Spike finished laying out the table

The Things That Make It All Worthwhile…: A Collabo Fic

By Chelli and Voodoo Fighting Weasel 

Molly smiled as Spike finished laying out the table. He'd insisted on doing it, and he was going to be the one cooking their 'fabulous gourmet meal for two', as well. 

"The lasagnas not quite ready yet," Spike said as he set down the silverware. As his hand brushed against hers, Molly smiled at him, enjoying that simple, seconds long contact between their hands.

"Ok, so all we need to do now is wait for the Lasagna to cook, right?" She asked him softly, humbled. Every time she touched him, she remember how much she loved him, and how happy he made her... it was always a humbling experience. And of course, she couldn't help but think how cute he looked in his floppy, oversized chef's hat and 'kiss the cook' apron - when she'd inquired about it, Spike and blushed and insisted that it belonged to Bubba.

Spike struck a match and reached over to light a candle in the center of the table. Before the wick caught fire, Spikes fingertips were burned.

"Oww," he hissed, shaking his hand.

"Oh, are you all right?" Molly asked. "Lemme take a look at it." After a moment of close inspection, Molly brought the lightly burned finger to her lips. She gave it a quick kiss. "All better?" She asked.

Spike had a sort of dazed expression on yes face. "Yeah..." he replied. "If you're do that every time I get burned, I should light candles more often."

"I'm not complaining," Molly said. 

"Why don't we imagine that instead of my finger getting burnt, it was my lips?" Spike asked.

Molly laughed. "Don't get cocky, loverboy." She said playfully.

"Cocky? Me?" Spike asked, an innocent look on his face. "Yes, you." Molly said, pretending to be annoyed with him. "My lips still hurt. That was some burn." Spike gave her his best 'hurt puppy dog look'. Molly pecked him on the lips. "Feel better?" she asked. "A little." He began. "But, they still - mmph!" He declared after a few seconds. Molly, expecting it, cut him off with a kiss, covering his mouth with her own. It seemed to last for the longest time, and neither was in any hurry to end it. But finally, Molly pulled away, feeling the need to breathe.

"Wow," Spike said, his eyes slightly glazed over. Molly giggled, snapping him out of his stupor. "I'm gonna go get some more candles," he said with a wink.

As Spike walked into his bedroom, Molly glanced around the room. A bright blue notebook marked 'journal' caught her eye. She picked it up, eyeing it curiously. She couldn't help but wonder what was in it. Between fighting his brothers, fighting her cousins, and standing up to Kurt Angle and Stone Cold, Molly never seemed to find out much about Spike before they were interrupted.

Finally giving into temptation, Molly opened the notebook and read the first page.

May 9th

Today I met Molly Holly. Wow is she beautiful! She has the prettiest blonde hair I've ever seen. It's so long and curly, I just want to run my hands through it. She usually wears it in pigtails, but today she has it down. She looks stunning either way.

She came to congratulate me for putting Albert through a table. I would've done it weeks ago if it meant meeting her. But her cousin Crash didn't like her talking to me. I beat him in the ring, but I'll help him out later to make it up to him. I don't want any bad blood between our families. I'm not sure, but I think she might have been cheering for me part of the time. I hope so. And I really hope her whole family doesn't feel the same way Crash does; that would make it really hard to get to know her. And I really want to get to know her.

May 21st

Molly wore my glasses today! I wanted her to keep them; she looks a lot better in them than I do. But I'm glad she returned them… it makes my face feel so good when I remember that she wore them. If this is half as good as kissing her…

May 24th

I let it slip that I think of Molly as my girlfriend… and she wasn't even mad! I think she likes me! At least, I hope so. Kurt had problems with it though. I think he's jealous. I faced him in the ring and lost. I hope Molly isn't ashamed to be seen with me or anything because of that.

May 28th

I'm writing this from the hospital. I'm here because MY BROTHERS PUT MOLLY THROUGH A TABLE!!! I tried to stop them, I got on the table to shield her… but they did it anyway. I hope she's ok… she's got to be okay. I don't know what I'd do if she wasn't. I like her, I really, really like her, and I want to tell her so.

May 31st

Well, I finally told her how I felt… at least, part of it anyway. I said I really, really liked her on Smackdown. She wasn't there, but I hope she was watching on TV… the flowers should have arrived right when I said it. I even made sure the card said, 'I know you really like roses. Turn on Smackdown, you'll see what I really, really like.'

June 4th

SHE LIKES ME TOO!!! She said it on TV, in from of everybody! What a woman.

Molly smiled; noting that every entry she'd read so far had something to do with her. She dropped the book quickly back into place when she heard footsteps coming her way.Spike smiled at her, holding a box of candles. "Found 'em." Molly went over and kissed him on the cheek. "What was that for?" Spike asked. "Not that I'm not grateful," He added quickly. 

"That was for you being you," Molly said with a smile. The smile faded as she looked down at the box of candles. "Why do you keep candles in your bedroom, anyway?" She asked curiously. 

"Don't know. Where should I keep them? The closet?" Spike shrugged. He set another candle in a second holder on the table. He was about to strike a match when Molly took it from him. 

"Here, let me light the candles. We don't want you getting *burnt* again, do we?" 

"Will you kiss me if I do?" Spike asked, grinning his lopsided smile. 

"Why don't you go check on the lasagna?" Molly asked, trying to hide her smile. 

"Ok, fine..." Spike groused. He left the room. Molly shook her head. She'd never been happier than when she was with Spike... and she didn't expect any of it to change. Lost in her daydreams of a future with Spike, she almost didn't hear the knock on the door. 

Spike opened the oven, checking the lasagna. Still not quite ready. He paced as he waited, feeling incredibly nervous. Tonight was the night; he was going to tell her he loved her. But whenever something major was about to happen between him and Molly, someone would always interrupt. First Crash, then Kurt, then his brothers… He couldn't shake that eerie feeling that the world was against them; that Molly and him would never be able to get any closer to one another; that they would never be able to admit their love. But he didn't understand it; He was so sure that they were meant for each other. He loved Molly, more than he'd ever loved anything ever before. He needed her to know... and somehow, the world and fate always managed to screw him over and keep him from telling her.

Well, not this time! He was going to march in there and tell her he loved her more then anything... when he heard a knock on the door. Not again! he thought.

Molly answered reluctantly. It was her and Spike's time alone... she didn't want to have to be interrupted *again*. No matter what they seemed to do, any time they ever got close, she thought she might be ready to tell him how she felt, but they always were interrupted. By Angle, by her cousins, by *everyone*. To hell with them. She wanted to let him know *tonight*. She wanted to make her feelings clear - through actions or through words, whatever it took. 

Sighing, she rose and shuffled to open the door, taking as long time as was possible. Another knock sounded. "Coming!" She shouted. Opening the door, she was surprised to find Jericho and Benoit there. "Um... Hi..." She mumbled. She was *not* in a personable mood... she wanted to be with Spike, not the Chrises, as much as she liked them.

"Hey there, Miss Molly." Jericho grinned, pushing past her into the room. Benoit, a bit surlier, followed his former tag partner and somehow retained, despite their King of the Ring betrayals, friend. Molly shut the door behind her. "What're you guys doing here?" She asked, trying to keep up her ever - cheery demeanor despite the sinking of her heart. 

Spike chose that inopportune moment to yell "Molly, who's at the door?" 

"Visitors, Spike!" Molly called back, giggling. Spike entered the room, muttering,"Obviously." Jericho and Benoit exchanged a smirk. 

"Hey there, Cooky. Nice hat." Jericho quipped. Spike whipped the hat off his head, snatching at the apron ties and letting it fall to the floor. 

"What are you two doing here?" He muttered, in a much worse mood than he had been. 

"Well, Benoit's neck is bothering him, and I didn't really have anything better to do, so... we thought we might stop by our favorite lovebird's and see if you two wanted to go sightseeing in New York. Lucky us, we caught you both in the same place." Jericho looked at the fancily - set table. "Speaking of, we aren't interrupting anything, are we? I'd hate to say the Chrises were the ones who ruined little Spikey and Mol's 'special night', eh?" Jericho nudged Spike, grinning. Molly blushed, and Spike, also faintly blushing, looked irritated. 

Spike frowned, trying to find a way to tell the Chrises to buzz off, but politely. "Well actually, Molly and I were just-" Just then Benoit gave a loud hiccup, cutting him off. "I don't feel so good," he said, his face turning a shade of green that could only be described as putrid. "Where's the bathroom?" he managed to choke out. Spike pointed to the bathroom door and Benoit went over to it as quick as he could. As Benoit stepped in and quickly shut the door, Jericho plopped down on the couch. 

"Anything good on tonight?" He asked. 

"I thought you wanted to go sight-seeing." Molly responded. Then she caught a whiff of the smell coming off of Jericho. "Have you two been drinking?" she asked, trying to control her temper. The last thing she needed was to take care of two drunk men when she was supposed with have some time with Spike. Just remember, they save me and Spike when Stone Cold was attacking us she reminded herself. I owe them. 

Just a teeeeeeeny-weeeeny bit," Jericho said with a loopy smile. "Just some beer... and tequila... and gin... and a really good strawberry daiquiri, you should try one sometime."

Oh, are those the ones with the little cherry drink stirrers? Oh, man, those are -" Spike was silenced by Molly's withering glare.

"Yeah, man, those things are awesome. I had about three." Jericho grinned. Molly turned her rarely used withering glare on him. "And why, exactly, did you and Benoit go out and get drunk?" She asked, her tone clipped and annoyed.

"Because we lost to Austin. He's still the champ. He's screwing everyone over, even the boy wonder over there." Jericho bemoaned his fate.

Spike made a face at the 'boy wonder' mention, but didn't say anything. Molly gave Jericho a sympathetic look. "Maybe so, but is that any reason to go out and get drunk?"

Jericho thought a moment. "YES!" Was his resounding reply.

All three paused as a moment, hearing Benoit retching in the bathroom.

"What a lovely evening this is turning out to be!" Spike said, every word dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah, isn't it?" Jericho grinned at him, not noticing the sarcasm. "I mean, you got your girl here for the night, you got Benoit and Y2J here... we could have an awesome party!" Jericho jumped up, punching a fist in the air.

Molly sighed and shook her head, suddenly catching a whiff of something ... charred? Spike and her exchanged a look. "The lasagna!" The two of the raced into the kitchen, followed by Jericho's cries of, "Yeah, go cooky, get the dinner!"

Spike grabbed an oven mitt and pulled out the smoking lasagna. "Oh no," he groaned.

Spike looked like he was about to lose it. Molly, thinking fast, said, "If you got one kiss for burning your hand, imagine how many kisses you'll get for burnt lasagna." She winked, and even as Spike tried to protest, saying it wasn't funny, he could feel a smile crossing his lips. As he leaned in to help her fulfill her promise of many a kiss...

Jericho burst into the kitchen. "Ooh, looks like something other than the lasagna is burning up this place!" He joked. "You dog, you." He playfully cuffed Spike on the shoulder. Benoit leaned against the doorframe next to Jericho. "Molly and Spike, sitting in a tree." Jericho quickly joined in. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage." As Spike began to hum with the off-key singing of Benoit and Jericho, Molly stared at him in disbelief. "What?" he asked, shrugging. "It's catchy."

"That's not all, that's not all, here comes a baby drinkin' al-co-hol." 

Spike rolled his eyes as stopped humming. "Seems more like two drunk babies to me," he muttered. 

Molly nodded. "That last part definitely crossed a line right there."

Spike frowned and turned to Molly. "I like them better sober, what about you?" He asked.

"Should I answer, or should I just frown?" Molly asked back.

Hey!" Jericho said, "We're not drunk! We're just..." Benoit jumped in, "Slightly intoxicated by the art of..." Jericho finished for him, "Binge drinking!" Both nodded at each other with identical satisfied looks. Molly and Spike would have been laughing if it wasn't their parade the Chrises had been raining on.

"You know, why don't we help them get sober? I can make some coffee," Molly offered.

Spike rubbed his neck. "Yeah, that'd be good." He turned to the Chrises. "Come on you guys," he said in a tired voice. "Lets order some pizza." Benoit grinned, but Jericho pouted. Spike saw his face. "What's wrong now?" he asked. "You don't wanna party," Jericho replied, sounding like a six year old. "You gotta have some coffee too. Irish coffee!" Spike just stared at Jericho, then looked up at the ceiling. "Don't tempt me."

Molly shook her head. "No Irish coffee for any of you." In there best whiney voices, all three men said, "Awwww, but ma!"

"Don't you Ma me!" Molly shouted. She poked Jericho and Benoit in the chest simultaneously. "You two showed up drunk on the doorstep."

"I don't have a doorstep," Spike muttered.

Molly poked him in the chest. "As for you, you're my boyfriend, smarty - pants, and I am in no way your mother, as the practice of incest has never really interested me!"

"Yeah," Jericho said in a stage whisper. "Just ask her cousins."

"Bed mental image," Benoit muttered.

Molly whipped around, back to him. "Don't make me give you a ride on the Molly - Go - Round. Now two of you get in the living room and sit down and shut up. Spike, watch them."

The three men trooped into the living room, leaving Molly in the kitchen to make the coffee.

"I'm tired, I'm cranky, and I'm stuck making coffee for a couple of drunks. Great. And all I wanted is a night alone with my boyfriend, is that too much to ask?" Molly sighed.

"Yup," Jericho said with a nod. Molly couldn't hear him, but Spike just gave him the Look. Jericho squirmed in his seat. "I was just saying..." he muttered.

"What was that?" Molly asked as she put coffee in the filter. "Nothing, Mols!" Spike replied. Lowering his voice, Spike sat down between Benoit and Jericho. "Both of you, be nice. Sit there, *quietly* and wait for Molly to bring out the coffee." Both of the Chrises folded their arms, sulking. and pouting. They both looked at Spike with wide eyes, looking the picture of innocence... or at least, they would have been the picture of innocence if they weren't grown, muscular, well toned men that on several occasions Spike had seen very dangerous and that were now quite drunk.

But, after getting tired of their stares, Spike finally broke the silence. "Fine, we can watch some TV. Chris, couldya grab the remote?"

Both Chrises lunged for it, and they ended up on the ground, fighting each other in a way that was reminiscent of what they had done in King Of The Ring.

"Guys." Spike said, softly. "Guys!" He said, a little louder. "GUYS!" He shouted. The two Chrises stopped in mid - tussle.

"Okay, that's it! You," Spike pointed at Jericho. "Go stand in the corner. You," he pointed at Benoit, "Sit at the table." Both of the Chrises got up and slowly walked in opposite directions. They did as they were told, but not before sticking their tongues out at each other.

"Stop that! Don't make me get the belt!" Spike shouted. 

"You don't have a belt cause Austin beat you too…" Jericho mumbled. Spike glared at him. "I coulda beat him…" He mumbled. 

"Coffee's ready!" Molly's voice rang out, and Spike couldn't be happier. "Thank God. I hope this gets 'em back to normal."

"COFFEE!" The Chrises shouted, any semblance of calm that they might have had getting thrown away like an old trash bag.

They raced from their corners into the kitchen, nearly assaulting Molly for the caffinated goodness.

Spike ran in after them, taking a protective stance near her. "Guys... you can have the coffee, but keep off of Molly, ok?"

"Guys, what do we say?" Both of them thought for a moment, before saying simultaneously 'Thank-You Molly."

Molly smiled and shook her head. Why did she suddenly feel like she and Spike were babysitting?

As Benoit and Jericho were drinking from their cups, Molly pulled out a mug that read, "World's Best Wrestler." She poured the coffee out of the pot and into the mug, adding just the right amount of cream and sugar, with a pinch of cinnamon. "Here ya go, Spike. Just the way you like it."

Spike grinned. "Thanks Mols," he said, giving her a peck on the cheek, much to the delight of the former Tag-team champions. "Wooo hooo! Go Spikey! You two are just so sexy…" Jericho whooped. Both Molly and Spike blushed.

Just as Spike put the mug to his lips, Molly's eyes widened as she tried to stop him. "No! Wait!" But it was too late. Spike spat the burning hot coffee out, all over Molly. "I warned you," She said, sighing. 

"Oh, Molly, I'm sorry!" He grabbed a handful of napkins from the counter and began wiping off the front of her shirt, before blushing and realizing what he was doing. He handed the napkins to her. "Maybe you ought to do that..."

"Whoo hoo, Benoit! We better watch em, they're fooling around in there!" Jericho chanted.

"Will you two shut up?!" Spike shouted at them. He turned back to Molly. "Molly, I'm so sorry... I really am... why don't you go in the bedroom and change?"

"It's not your fault Spike, and yes, I'm going to do that." Molly gave him a gentle smile.

"You can wear one of my shirts," Spike offered. Molly began to leave the room.

"Aren't you gonna go help her, Spike?" Benoit asked, winking.

"Oh, and Mols?" Spike stopped her, ignoring Benoit. Molly faced him. "You know, my tongue's burnt, too." He said softly. Molly smiled. "Maybe later, Spike." She went into the bedroom to change, leaving a disappointed Spike in the kitchen.

Suddenly, he saw the same bright blue journal that Molly had seen only an hour earlier. He watched Spike carefully, and dashed into the other room, carrying the journal and dragging Jericho with him, while Spike was cleaning the coffee off the floor. He picked up the journal and flipped to the last page.

Juicy stuff is always on the last page He thought to himself. And he was even more right than he could ever have hoped.

'Tonight is the night. I'm gonna tell Molly that I love her. I've got everything planned perfectly! I'm gonna cook my lasagna, and we'll have a candle-lit dinner... The only thing I'm worried about is interruptions. It feels like every time Molly and I start to get really close, something- or someone- messes it up' . 

Benoit looked up from the journal, suddenly feeling incredibly guilty. He tapped a dozing Jericho on the shoulder.

"We've screwed it up," He said gravely.

"Five more minutes, mommy..." Jericho murmured. Benoit shook Jericho harder. "Huh? What?"

"I SAID, we've screwed this up!" Benoit repeated, this time a little more irritable.

"What did we screw up? It's not like Molly and Spike care-"

"But that's exactly it. They do." Benoit interrupted. "Take a look at this." Benoit dropped the journal onto the table. "Flip to the last page," he ordered, all previous traces of humor gone. Jericho did so. As he read he began to get a sinking feeling in his stomach, although that could have been the after - effects of the alcohol.

"Aww, man!! We've screwed this up!" 

Benoit rolled his eyes. "That's what I *just* said! Come on, we've got to get out of here. Maybe they can still have a good time together."

"Jesus, I can't believe we've given them so much hell..." Jericho moaned.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, now let's just get the hell out of here!" Benoit snapped.

Just then, Molly came out of Spike's bedroom, wearing a too – big tie-dyed shirt. "It's too quiet out here... what happened?" Molly asked, surprised by the silence.

Spike left the kitchen, walking into the other room. "I don't know... where'd they go?"

~~~~~~~~~~~ 

As Jericho and Benoit rounded the street corner, they began humming, "Molly and Spike, kissing in a tree," again. Pausing, Benoit looked over at Jericho. "You know we're gonna hafta make this up to them somehow, right?" 

Jericho nodded. "Yeah, I know. We can come up with something tomorrow when we visit the Statue of Liberty. I hear the hot dogs there are awesome."

"Okay, so we'll buy them hotdogs and bring them to the Statue of Liberty..." Benoit said, troubled.

"No no, I mean just us. You wanted to go sight seeing and everything. Besides, tomorrow we should leave them alone. They're probably already sick of us."

Benoit nodded.

"While we're up there we'll think of something... maybe bring back a souvenir." Jericho shrugged. "I dunno."

"Oh well." The two Chrises continued on their way, still just barely drunk.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"You know, my tongue is still burned," Spike said as he sat on the couch with one arm around Molly, stroking her hair as she leaned against him. 

"I'm willing to make it feel better," Molly said, giggling at him.

Spike leaned over and kissed her. Molly's arms snaked around him, and she could taste the cinnamon still on his lips from that one sip of coffee. Feeling the need to breathe, they broke apart.

Spike had a goofy grin on his face, and Molly smiled back at him. She leaned up to kiss him again, gently. It was sweet as it always was when she kissed him - soft, and tender.

"Did that help?" Molly asked mischievously.

"Help what?" Spike asked.

"Your burn, silly!" She replied, smiling.

"My burn-? Oh right," he grinned sheepishly. 

"I'll take that as a yes," she said, grinning with satisfaction.

"Will you kiss it if I say no?" He asked hopefully.

"Why don't you try me and find out?"

"Then no, it did not help." Spike grinned again.

"Lemme see what I can do about that." Molly's lips swooped down onto his again, and Spike was almost taken by surprise, but he soon relaxed and leaned into it. When they finally broke apart again, each cleared their throats. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you," they both started.

"Oh, you first," Molly said.

"Ladies first," Spike insisted.

"Well, uh..." Molly froze. Suddenly she felt very much on the spot, and all the things she had planned to say to him went right out the window.

"Go on, I'm not stopping you," Spike gave her a friendly smile.

It was the same smile he had worn when they first met, the one that absolutely melted her heart. She took a deep breath. It's now or never, she thought to herself.

"Molly, I -" Spike began to say.

"Spike, I love you!" She finally blurted out.

Spike stopped mid sentence. "You do?" He asked, marveling.

"Completely, absolutely, and positively," she replied, keeping eye contact the entire time. She had just laid her heart on the line; she hoped he felt the same way.

"That's... That's great!" Spike said excitedly, grabbing her soft and small hands in his. "Mol, I love you! I've been trying to tell you all night!"

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes, with all my heart. I love you more than anything I've ever loved, Molly. I don't care about the Dudleys, or the Hollys, or anything but the two of us. _I love you_." Spike said, more sincere than he'd ever been before in his life.

Molly captured his lips in a kiss. When she broke it off for air, she whispered. "Say it again, please."

"I love you, Molly." Molly loved hearing him say those words. Those three little words that made the whole evening worthwhile.

"You want me to say it again? I could say it forever." Spike whispered back. "I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you –" Molly cut him off, pulling him into a kiss again.

When the kiss finally ended, Spike wanted to hear the words himself. "Say it for me?" he asked.

Molly smiled, kissing him gently on his cheek. "I love you." She kissed him on the other cheek. "I love you." Then, his forehead. "I love you." And finally, deeply on his lips. Breaking apart, still close enough that he could feel her breath on his lips, she whispered, "I love you."

And Spike knew what true happiness was.

~END~


End file.
